Shower Jacket

ABSTRACT

The shower jacket is provided as a one-piece body garment that has a minimum number of parts, which includes a front portion, a vertically right side slit portion underneath the arm section, divided into two segments that will be fastened. It has a fully closed back portion, as well as an opening for arms and the neck. Fasteners are for retaining the two segments of the vertical right-side portion segments together at three sections along the side of the garment in three-button sections. This component is for securing and covering up the entire body of the patient in order to provide warmth, privacy, safety, and a sense of modesty and dignity. It also has a convenient front four-compartment pocket to aid in supplying a patient&#39;s necessity items for the bath or shower. It allows easy access for patients with medical equipment, and for examinations to the body.

REFERENCES CITED

U.S. Patent Documents 4,964,173 07/366,649 October 1990 Gordon et al5,361,414 08/128,093 November 1994 Smith 5,575,006 08/349/748 November1996 Wolfe 6,012,168 09/188/429 January 2000 Hutton, et al 6,237,15309/451/039 May 2001 Bowens 6,499,143 09/829/663 December 2002 Garza7,181,773 11/193/190 February 2007 Piraka 7,865,973 12/286/851 January2011 Gibson 8,069,497 12/319,258 December 2011 Sheward et al

Foreign Patent Documents: Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a garment that can be used in anyhealthcare facility. It is designed to be hassle-free as it providesprivacy, safety, dignity, and comfort while maintaining the dignity ofall patients. There are several different garments used today that areconfigured to provide privacy to patients. Gowns used in the hospital ornursing home facilities today are generally open-back style, and providesome but not total control of privacy for patients. Patients need tofeel warm and comfortable in their gowns as they await assistance frompatient care personnel. Patients must change their clothes and changeinto the garment used at the facility they are entering. By changinginto gowns that have an open-back style, patients may not feelcomfortable, and the material is usually rather thin, which does notprovide enough privacy or warmth to the patient. Other products on themarket have more than one part to help provide privacy to the patient.Some examples are seen in the following U.S. patents:

Gordon, U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,173, which illustrates that it has minimalparts, and a fully closed back portion as well as overlapping lowerfront portion that is capable of being detached temporarily viafastening means devoid any snap fasteners, which are subject to beingreleased or opened for limited access to upper body areas and/or lowerbody areas as necessary as opposed to whole body exposure.

Gibson, U.S. Pat. No. 7,865,973 displays a self-contained, expandablehospital gown having a central retainment belt from which expandableadjustable upper and lower gown portions can be selectively deployed.Engagement and interlocking tabs provide deployment on the upper torso,extending portion and lower torso extending portion with independentretainment and positioning access openings associated therewith.

Sheward et al, U.S. Pat. No. 8,069,497 presents hospital gowns withspecific pockets, slits, to allow mounting catheter bag concealed insidegown of patient for maximum mobility and privacy with various monitors,caterers and lumens attached, passing through openings in gown to reachthe patients body and closures that are simple to use and provide forpatient privacy with approximately 125% wrap around.

Reardon et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,509, 689, shows a design for a bathingponcho, a disposable garment adapted to be donned while bathing orshowering and drying off. The garments take the form of ponchos. Thebathing or showering poncho will have a different color than the dryingponcho. Both ponchos will have ties on the side thereof to secure theponcho and prevent inadvertent exposure.

Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,414, Wolfe, U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,006, Hutton,U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,168, Bowens, U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,153, Garza, U.S.Pat. No. 6,499,143, Piraka, U.S. Pat. No. 7,181,773, displays a privacygowns consisting of a body garment having a front portion, a verticallysplit rear portion divided into two segments, a pair of sleeves and aneck opening, so that the body garment can be worn by the patient. Ithas a fastener to retain the two segments of the vertically split rearportion together at the neck opening. It has a structure for covering upa lower separation of the two segments of the body garment at the wasteto provide modesty, and to be quickly opened for examination and accessto the body. The garments allow for medical equipment to be easilyaccessed. These garments also provide privacy separately over thepatient's body versus providing a one-piece covering, with access to thebody for examinations and medical equipment. One allow for warmth fromcold drafts, while allow the body to be easily accessed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a showerjacket; a body garment that has a minimum number of parts, having afully enclosed back portion and a right side split portion underneaththe right arm opening allowing access to the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide privacy and warmth as thematerial allows for the entire body to be covered. The material is thickenough as to not allow for cold drafts, and ease to maintain. It isthick, sturdy, wrinkle-free, and desires warm wash and it tumbles dry.This object of the invention is to provide dignity, a since of modestyto the patient by providing privacy, and to also provide ease of accessfor medical equipment and access to the body. This section of thegarment is closed by a sequence of three-button sections down the rightside of the garment.

Another object of the invention is that it has a four-compartment pocketthat has a snap closure, and when it is pulled apart displays threesmaller sections, and one larger section to provide ease of transportfor the patient healthcare needs; soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, combs,body wash, and towels, etc. Personnel no longer have to pile thepatient's necessity on top of the lap of the patient, or carry themseparate to the bath or shower. All the patient's necessities are athands reach.

Another object of the invention is to provide safety for the patient anda sense of control for staff personnel. They no longer have to usefitted or flat sheets, towels, or the patient's robe to cover the bodyduring transport. The shower jacket hangs securely along side the showerchair or wheelchair to provide safety. It does not hug or tug when thepatient is transported in any standard wheelchair or shower chair.

These objects of the invention will provide the patient and personnelwith control of the activities of daily living as patients care forthemselves and as healthcare personnel tend to the care of theirpatients.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will more fully be understood and apparent in thefollowing detailed descriptions and illustrations in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1; Page 1, displays a full view of the shower jacket. It shows theshower jacket in all its parts. The outline of the shower jacket (1),the neck opening (2), the arm openings (3), the front pocket (4), thepockets (5), and the button snaps alongside the right side of the showerjacket and along the shoulder of the shower jacket (6).

FIG. 2; Page 1, displays the shower chair with the shower jacketcovering it. It shows the top portion of the chair across (1), thebottom part of the chair, displaying a visual of the length from thebottom of the shower jacket to the bottom of the chair (2), the bottomof the shower chair is displayed showing that it will still cover thepatient down to the wheels of the shower chair (3).

FIG. 3; Page 1, displays the shower jacket on the wheel chair.Corresponding with the number of parts outline in FIG. 1; the outline ofthe shower jacket (1), the neck opening (2), the arm openings (3), thefront pocket (4), the pockets (5), and the button snaps alongside theright side of the shower jacket and along the shoulder of the showerjacket (6).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The shower jacket is provided as a unique named for its cause. Itconsists of a one-piece body garment that has a minimum number of parts,which includes a front portion, a vertically right side slit portionunderneath the arm section, divided into two segments. It has a fullyclosed back portion, as well as an opening for arms and the neck.Fasteners are for retaining the two segments of the vertical right-sideportion together at three sections along the side in three-buttonsections. This component is for securing and covering up the entire bodyof the patient in order to provide warmth, privacy, safety, and a senseof modesty and dignity. It also has a convenient front four-compartmentpocket to aid in supplying a patient's necessity items for the bath orshower. It is made of a sturdy, washable, comfortable, and wrinkle-freematerial that will provide warmth and comfort for the patient. It isdesigned to be secure, hassle-free, and covers the entire body while inany standardized wheel chair or shower chair. There will be two colorcodes for the small and large size shower jackets to fit the showerchairs comfortably. It allows easy access for patients with medicalequipment, and for examinations to the body.

What is claimed is that the shower jacket is designed to provideprivacy, dignity, safety, and warmth and comfort to all patients in thenursing home or healthcare facility by maintaining protection andsecurity to the patient and body while the patient is being transportedto the shower or bath: Therefore, the shower jacket will provide thefollowing:

1. It is easy to take on and off; it slides over the head and shoulderand along side any standardized wheelchair or shower chair.
 2. Itprovides protection for patients with neck surgery, or crate devicesimplanted. For patients who have arm amputations or contractions bycovering the entire body, even when the patients move their arm. Thearms openings have are designed to go over the top of the shower chair,which aids in privacy.
 3. There is a large pocket in front, made withthree small sections and one large section of 100% cotton, and smooth,hypoallergenic, wrinkle-free, warm-wash, tumble dry material.
 4. Itprovides safety by fitting securely around the shower chair; eithersmall industrial standard size or large industrial standard size chairs.Therefore, patients or patient care personnel do not have to worry aboutusing fitted or flat sheets, towels, or blankets to cover the patientsduring transport. These other items have been known to potentially causeaccidents during transport.
 5. It provides ease of locking and unlockingthe wheels of the shower chairs or wheelchairs, due to the shower jacketnot hanging to the floor, but at an appropriate length for patient care.Also, there is no tugging or pulling, or the need to use other objectslike towels, fitted or flat sheets, patient's robes to cover thepatient's body and risk of accidents.
 6. The shower jacket allows forself-respect or formality in patients behavior or well-being. It givespatients honor, respect, protection, and self-esteem.